When Sheldon Creed rolls by means of the gates of EchoPark Speedway this weekend, he’ll be greeted by recollections of his shinning second. It was there in February that the California native lastly broke by means of, holding off the sector within the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection race to earn his long-awaited first sequence victory.
After 137 prior makes an attempt, Creed was the beneficiary of a last-lap tangle between Austin Hill and Ross Chastain. The No. 00 Haas Manufacturing facility Workforce Chevrolet scooted by and held off the roaring subject for the elusive win. He put to relaxation the moniker of being the driving force with probably the most runner-up finishes — 15 to be actual — in sequence historical past with out hoisting a trophy.
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“It wasn’t very enjoyable going that lengthy with out successful,” Creed informed NASCAR.com final week. “It will be one factor if I ran tenth to fifteenth each week, however I used to be so shut so many instances and one thing would occur or go unsuitable.”
The slim defeats started to construct frustration. In 2024 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he tied Dale Jarrett and Daniel Hemric for probably the most second-place efforts earlier than successful (10). He shattered that report, ending second with three completely different organizations: Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Haas Manufacturing facility Workforce.
Snagging a victory early in 2026 was a morale enhance for the complete No. 00 workforce. Creed had a median first yr with Haas in 2025, recording eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.
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“I believe that was huge for confidence for myself and the workforce, getting these guys again into Victory Lane,” Creed stated.
Crew chief Jonathan Toney, the all the time upbeat chief of the No. 00 bunch, knew a victory was inside attain. He was adjusting to Creed’s model final yr, spending the prior two years with Cole Custer. Naturally, the 2 drivers billed from Southern California had been extra parallel than Toney may have even imagined with their Southern California swagger.
Toney all the time believed Creed may get the job carried out.
“I all the time stated, you do not end second [15] instances and never be able to successful races,” Toney stated. “Issues simply did not fall his manner on a number of events that saved him out of Victory Lane. All of us knew he was able to successful.
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“Simply getting that win for him and the smile on his face and the following couple of weeks was such a blessing to be part of and see that.”
The triumph got here sooner than anticipated in 2026. Over the offseason, Haas Manufacturing facility Workforce put in loads of labor to change from Ford to Chevrolet, returning to the Hendrick Motorsports engine pipeline.
Except for the signature EchoPark win, Creed has pumped out his most constant season thus far. He believes he had extra uncooked velocity in 2024, his stopgap season at JGR, however that is probably the most comparable yr he is had, already matching the top-five finishes he posted in his first season with HFT. That complete is tied for second within the sequence (Brent Crews) behind Justin Allgaier’s 12 top-five outcomes.
Sheldon Creed poses for a photograph in Victory Lane together with his workforce at EchoPark Speedway.
Consistency has been one in every of Creed’s greatest strengths in 2026. With 13 races remaining, he is on tempo to eclipse his earlier greatest common end — decreasing it from 11.7 in 2024 to 10.3 — whereas avoiding the incidents that plagued him in previous seasons, with only one DNF in 20 races.
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“This yr, we have been clicking it off,” Creed stated. “Even after we’re not a successful race automobile, we will go and end fourth or fifth. I really feel like our window is a bit bit greater this yr on velocity. Final yr, we needed to hit it completely to be quick.”
The No. 00 workforce remains to be working to unlock extra uncooked velocity, however Creed has remained aggressive, rating tenth amongst sequence regulars in laps led (93). He additionally sits seventh in stage factors at 118 — lower than half of Allgaier’s 250.
“I believe that is simply maturity on [Creed’s] half and studying race craft,” Toney stated of the uptick in finishes, noting the core group of the No. 00 workforce has been collectively since 2023. “He has been with some nice organizations that he was in a position to study from, so we had been benefiting from that and the expertise.”
With 4 races remaining within the common season, Creed sits one level behind Corey Day for third within the driver standings. He’s inside 30 factors of reigning sequence champion Jesse Love for second however can be solely 43 factors above Carson Kvapil in seventh.
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It is paramount for the No. 00 workforce to conclude the common season sturdy to be nearer to the entrance of The Chase subject come September. Regardless, Creed believes he is usually a participant for the 2026 championship. He is not counting out Austin Hill or fellow Haas driver Sam Mayer as title threats.
MORE: O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection standings | O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection schedule
“I believe lots as a result of we will run persistently,” Creed stated. “I believe it should be between six of us. You can most likely throw a pair extra in in the event that they get constant. It is onerous to rely anyone out, however simply wanting on the season, I might say it is these 4 to 6.”
First on the docket is a return to the Peach State on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, The CW, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the place Creed hopes to choose up proper the place he left off in February.
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“Will probably be like each different week,” Creed stated. “We will go along with the identical purpose of making an attempt to win. I do know we’re not going to return the identical. Our automobile was good, however I believed it may have been a bit higher.”
